# virtctl Client Tool

## Retrieving the `virtctl` client tool

Basic VirtualMachineInstance operations can be performed with the stock `kubectl` utility. However, the `virtctl` binary utility is required to use advanced features such as:

* Serial and graphical console access

It also provides convenience commands for:

* Starting and stopping VirtualMachineInstances
* Live migrating VirtualMachineInstances
* Uploading virtual machine disk images

There are two ways to get it:

* the most recent version of the tool can be retrieved from the [official release page](https://github.com/kubevirt/kubevirt/releases)
* it can be installed as a `kubectl` plugin using [krew](https://krew.dev/)

Example:

```
export VERSION=v0.41.0
wget https://github.com/kubevirt/kubevirt/releases/download/${VERSION}/virtctl-${VERSION}-linux-amd64
```

## Install `virtctl` with `krew`

It is required to [install `krew` plugin manager](https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/krew/#installation) beforehand. If `krew` is installed, `virtctl` can be installed via `krew`:

```
$ kubectl krew install virt
```

Then `virtctl` can be used as a kubectl plugin. For a list of available commands run:

```
$ kubectl virt help
```

Every occurrence throughout this guide of

```
$ ./virtctl <command>...
```

should then be read as

```
$ kubectl virt <command>...
```